Title: If the screw fits
Rating: PG-13 for violence and insanity :D
Series: FMA-1
Warnings: Winry fans may be offended! Sorry! D:
Summary: Winry is feeling a bit underappreciated and decides to do something about it. EdxAl, one-sided WinryxEd (small reference to EdxSloth).
"Winry, thanks," Edward said, blushing a little. He was always embarrassed around her, probably because he never talked to her without broken limbs. He glanced over to his right, expecting to be able to swing his arm, but there was only the empty metal stump. The same as his shattered leg. He looked down, wires dangling. He hated feeling so helpless and it was made worse because of his recently healed ribs and the gash on his forehead. He raised his good hand to check the bleeding. Those Central doctors had taken good care of him the past few weeks. Winry couldn't make it out to him, so he made it out to Resembool as soon as he could.
"No problem, Ed," Winry replied, giving a smile. "But don't think I'm letting you get away with getting yourself so busted up."
"I just wish Al was with me. He must have been going crazy back in Central. At least he comes back today."
Al? Al? Winry thought-snapped. What about me? I'm always here, worrying about you. "I know… you two can't stand being apart. But Pinako and I miss you, too."
"I'm sorry I haven't written much. I get lost in the whirlwind of things happening around me and I'm often too poor to even get stamps."
"With that dog's salary of yours?"
"Maybe if I didn't have to pay all those bills for a certain mechanic."
"I don't have to fix your arm, you know!" Winry barked, throwing down her wrench—into Ed's face. He cried out, clutching his face. His nose bled a little.
"Winry! That hurts!"
"Not more than you hurt me!"
"What?"
"You never once think about all the work and worrying I do for you!"
"What? Of course I do," Ed whispered.
"You're too busy with Al and being an alchemist…" she mumbled, then continued to mumble to herself, "That's how it's been since we were kids…"
Edward remained silent where he was sitting on the bed. He didn't know what to say to her. She was always like this. He wondered if she had grown too attatched to them since her parents' death. On the other hand, Ed felt he had distanced himself from her since his mother's death and incomplete resurrection.
"Well, I can give you the spares for a bit, but the damage is bad. It will take me a few days at least."
"Sounds good," he breathed, looking out the window.
Waiting for him, Winry thought and stormed off into the next room. When she returned, Winry was smiling. "I can't find the spares, Ed. I'm sorry…"
"Oh, I'm sure I can manage," he said. "I'll just use a crutch. I'll get Al to transmute me one from some of the spare firewood."
Winry's mouth twisted with annoyance. "Alright. Sorry I even bothered."
"Touchy," Ed remarked. Then he saw a black spec on the horizon. A car coming down the highway. As it drew closer, he could see the driver and the faint silhouette of the hunk of armor that was Alphonse. Ed went to stand and fell.
"Ed!" Winry cried, gently lifting him. "Are you alright?" She brushed his hair back and he pulled away.
"Don't—" he breathed. "I can handle myself."
"Stop being so stubborn!" she remarked.
"You two," Pinako remarked from the doorway, "Stop fighting and go greet Alphonse. Hmm? Ed, where are the spares?"
"I couldn't find them," Winry chirped.
"Well, then you better get him my cane from the hall closet," Pinako said. "It's rude to leave your friends like that, Winry."
"I forgot about it," the blonde girl sighed. "I'm sorry Grammy."
"Don't worry, just join me in the kitchen so we can set the table."
Winry left once more and returned again, this time with the automail cane. "Here," she snapped, handing it to Ed.
"Win, are you gonna be mad at me the entire time? I'm really sorry I ruined the automail, but if I didn't, I would be dead. Alphonse would be…"
"Silly," she said. "I know it can't be helped, but it doesn't mean I can't give you the cold shoulder, either." She helped Edward up where he could hold onto the cane and they slowly made their way downstairs. She tried to help him, but each time she reached out, he would move away to the point he almost tripped. She just didn't understand and it angered her.
"Al!" Ed smiled. "How was the trip?"
"I love the train ride, but it wasn't the same without you to play cards against. I wasn't used to losing," Al said. He stepped inside, picking up Edward into his arms for a gentle hug. "How are your ribs?"
"Still sore…" Ed breathed.
"What's for dinner, Winry?" Al asked.
"What? No, Hello how are you?" she asked, hands on her hips. "Hmph. I'm going to help Grammy, you two do what you want."
Al shrunk back as she left the foyer. "What's going on with her? She seems really upset."
"You know girls. Probably hormones or something," Ed replied.
"Brother, you can tell somethings bothering her."
The short blonde sighed, "Well, she did say she feels like I'm ungrateful. I'm not. I don't know. I think she's jealous of you."
"Me?" Alphonse wondered.
"We spend so much time together that I just don't know how I could live without you, Al," Ed replied, making his way into the livingroom. "I don't get to write to Winry or see her that much. You know how much she worries and all. I just give her a hard time. You know how I feel around her."
"After everything with Sloth," Al breathed. "You didn't tell them, did you?"
"I'm just glad they never found out. I still feel sick thinking about it." Ed rested the cane against the chair, to hold his churning stomach. "I'm glad you don't hate me for being such a fool. I just wish I could let Winry brush back my bangs or hug me, but I can't. I remember her. I feel her."
"Brother, I promise once we get our bodies back we can be together again, like we always have."
Ed smiled, "I'd kiss you metal mug, but…"
"Don't worry about it."
Winry watched from the crack in the door from the hall. She had been about to call them in, but listened having heard her name. Ed, you do care after all… but I don't like you keeping secrets from me. Who or what is Sloth? How deep does your relationship go with Al? How many taboos are you going to commit in one life time? Speaking of… About then, something in Winry seemed to snap. She had a hand in her pocket, fidgeting with some loose nuts and bolts. Yes, I think it's about time I stopped being the neighbor girl… the girl next door… the sweet one… I'm taking what's mine. I love you, Edward, and next time you might not come back to me, so… I'll get rid of the source and I'll make sure you stay here with me.
"Dinner time, guys!" she called.
"Thanks Winry," the boys replied in unison. Ed stood, using Al for support to the kitchen. They passed Winry quietly as a hop-a-long and a suit of armor could, then set down to eat. Dinnertime was quiet until Pinako shared what little news had been happening in Resembool. The forks clanking against the plates died down as she spoke, "I haven't let Winry outside for this reason… that people have been murdered recently. All around you kids' age. No one has a good glimpse at the person responsible, but some say it could be a kid, too. Probably someone who was teased at school."
"No one's done anything about it?" Ed asked between bites of stew.
"No, it's just awful," Winry said.
"You should be careful, too, Ed," Pinako warned. "And to answer your question, the police are looking, but you know these country bumpkin military types… they don't do anything that doesn't involve them getting the better end of the equivalent exchange."
"Well, I'm gonna find out who it is and stop 'em."
"And how do you expect to do that with no arm or leg?"
"U-Uh…" Ed wondered, "Well, I'll just look for those spares myself and Al and I can go."
"But it's dangerous, Ed! Let the police handle it," Winry pleaded.
"You heard Grams. The police aren't even bothering. Why should more kids suffer because of them when we can handle it?" Ed gloated. "Right Al?"
"I suppose… how are the kids dying?"
"They were beaten to death," Pinako replied. "It's a horrible sight, Alphonse. Ed. I don't think you should persue matters that don't involve you."
"All they need is a state alchemist such as myself to give them a lift," Ed smirked.
After dinner, Pinako lectured them, but she knew she couldn't stop them. They would head out the next morning since Pinako could whip up some spares by then if she pulled an all-nighter.
Al helped Ed to his room and tucked him in.
"I hate being crippled like this," Ed admitted. "But it's nothing compared to you, Al."
"Brother… Don't be so mushy. It's not like you."
"Goodnight Al," he whispered.
"Goodnight…"
"Hmm? You not heading to bed just yet?"
"No, I'm going to look into those murders a little more. Maybe I can find us some clues while you rest. It's better than me just sitting around."
"Right. Night," Ed replied.
Alphonse waited until Ed fell asleep as he usually did in case of a sudden nightmare, which was fairly often. He kissed his older bother on the forehead the best a metal helmet could, then left the room.
"Now, to look through the news articles," Al piped as he went back to the livingroom where they kept the newspapers for the month. He tried to squeeze into the armchair which didn't work too well, so he plopped on the floor, a lantern at his side. He spread out the papers, trying to find something to indicate the next victim, who the killer was, anything.
"All of the kids… they're all male with short hair. Their eyes are all light colored and their hair, too. In fact, they kinda look like… like me."
"No one put this together because most of us are blonde-headed anyway," Winry whispered. "Just like you, Alphonse. Just like my Ed."
"Winry!" Al cried. "Uh, what are you doing up so late?"
"Oh, just taking care of some kinks," Winry smiled. "So why are looking at the news?"
"I was curious if it was Scar is all," Al stammered, proud of his excuse.
"Al… you should've died," Winry said, her bangs hiding her face as she stepped slowly forward. Her arms were behind her back and she was slightly hunched. The floor creaked under the carpet. Al whimpered and began to ask what was wrong, but she cut him off, "It's not healthy for a soul to stay outside it's true body too long, Alphonse."
"W-Winry?"
Winry dove at Al. Al backed up, almost knocking over a lamp. The mechanic cursed—she couldn't have him making so much noise! Not that it would wake Pinako… She raised the wrench with one hand, crawling on top of Al like a spider, then flipping over his helmet. He cried out.
"Quiet or I'll kill Ed in his sleep," Winry hissed. "Of course," she said, staring at Al's head across the room and placing a fastner onto Al's blood seal, "You'll die, either way."
"Winry, stop!" Al cried. He reached up, trying to pry her arms away. For some reason, he couldn't. "Winry!"
"Like my new automail, Alphonse?" she smirked as the skin began to peel away. Metal and wires were underneath.
"Winry!" Al cried, the fastner getting tighter. The seal began to crack.
"Al!" cried Ed's voice from the doorway. "Al!"
"Oh, shoot," Winry sighed. "Guess I can't drag this out any longer… although." Winry walked over and grabbed Al's head, flinging it over her shoulder. "Edward, I promise to keep him safe if you come with me and promise me never to leave again."
"Winry…" Ed breathed, staring at Al's helm. "Put my brother down or I'm going to wake Pinako."
"She's under a deep sleep right now… one she my never wake from, actually… guess I used too many pills."
"How discriminatory," Ed smirked.
"Oh, please, they were just some pills I had… lying around. Now, Ed, are you coming with me? I mean, you can't get away with that stump of a body and you can't make alchemy… You'll be with me forever. Not only am I now mostly steel like your beloved brother, but he won't be coming between us."
Ed's eyes widened and he threw himself onto the ground to crawl, cursing. He grabbed Winry's leg. "Please. Don't hurt him. He's all I have."
Winry grimaced at him. Her eyes were empty, staring down at him like the God Ed hated so much. "You're wrong. I'm all you have."
"Winry!" Ed yelled as she pressed her hands on the fastner, tighting it. Only a little further. Ed bit down on her leg and pulled away. Winry kicked him, hard, in his sore ribs. Ed gasped for breath, blood coming from his lip. "Winry…"
"Please, stop!" Al pleaded. Winry kicked over the lantern.
Suddenly the sound of snapping steel and Al's cries filled the room, then the silence and darkness overtook them. Ed could hear his breath become more shallow and he couldn't stop his whimpering from coming through. He was scared. He was going to die here. Or worse, be forced to live here with Winry… but wouldn't the military come looking for them? So, yes, then he would most surely be killed… Ed smiled in the dark. He would be back with his real mother soon. The thought only comforted him a moment until Winry grabbed Ed's arm with one hand and his neck with her other one. She carted him into her bedroom upstairs.
"Ed… I waited for so long to be the one you love. Now nothing stands between us," she said. The moonlight barely filled the room, but Ed could hear his watch being crunched into pieces. "Not Al… Not the state… Not that Sloth you mentioned… Oh, Ed, I love you."
"Winry…" Ed cried. He was sobbing uncontrollably now. He had to hate himself a little, a girl making him cry in such a way that only his father had before. "How could you murder Al? And all those children…"
"Aw, how did you know it was me?" Winry smiled.
Ed was horrified. He looked over to the dresser. There were the two sculptures that he and Al had made for their mother…
"You just… answered for me," he whispered. "I didn't want to believe it, though… I saw the imprint on one of the kids in the way to town. You really did a number on those poor boys. I thought maybe someone had stolen your tools, but when I got here… you had the gal to use it to remove what was left of my body. Then I saw those pig-dogs just now, on your dresser. You stole them from the house before we burned it down, didn't you?"
"Shut up, Ed, you don't know anything and you'll never know anything."
"I'm only sorry I did this to you, Winry…" he breathed. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry…"
"Now, you'll spend the rest of your life here with me. You'll be safe," she said. Winry was pulling something from the closet. Ed could hear clothes ruffling. "Here, is this better?" she asked him, showing off a purple dress and a white apron. He couldn't see them far away, but his suspicions were true when she stepped into the light, when she drew closer. The outfit was dirty, patched up. Winry had taken it from his mother's grave.
Ed felt his entire soul leave him in despair as Winry coddled him against his chest and hummed. "That's it, Ed, just be a good boy and don't leave your mother anymore."